Pacers ruled the roost at the Eden Gardens on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group ‘A’ match between Bengal and Hyderabad on Saturday. The green top provided the right setting for the bowlers to exploit the seam and swing to expose the inadequate technique of batsmen of both sides.
At stumps, Bengal was tottering at 79 for eight in 38 overs after Hyderabad, put in, was bundled out for 115 in 37.1 overs. Bengal is still 36 runs adrift of the first innings lead. With three more days to go, this match will produce an outright victory unless nature has other ideas.
A firm, green track greeted both the teams in the morning and Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla had no hesitation in inviting the opposition to bat first.
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Hyderabad lost wickets at regular intervals as Shukla shuffled his three pacers judiciously. B. Sumanth’s 25 was the highest-score. Both Sumanth and captain P. Akshath Reddy were bowled through the gates off moving balls and G.H. Vihari was taken behind down the leg side. B. Sandeep also was bowled playing across and Syed Ahmed Quadri was trapped leg before by Shami.
Bengal’s batting was even more pathetic. Rohan Banerjee was the first to go and debutant Sudip Chatterjee was brilliantly taken at second slip off Ashish Reddy. Left-arm pacer Anwar Ahmed Khan struck three quick blows to break the middle-order of the host. Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Wriddhiman Saha needed to show a lot of discipline. Instead, they chased away going deliveries and perished.
Opener Arindam Das was unbeaten on 37 after having occupied the crease for little more than three hours and facing 100 balls. He hit four boundaries. Giving him company is Mohammad Shami who is yet to score.
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Parth Jhala made his debut for Hyderabad.
The scores:Hyderabad — 1st innings: K. Sumanth b V.P. Singh 25, P. Akshath Reddy b Shami 5, G.H. Vihari c Saha b V.P. Singh 15, B. Sandeep b V.P. Singh 10, A. Quadri b Shami 20, P. Jhala b Mandal 3, P. Singh c Banerjee b Shukla 15, Ashish Reddy c Saha b Shukla 4, M. Hasan lbw b Shami 4, A.A. Khan b Shami 2, Ravi Kiran (not out) 0, Extras (b-2, lb-1, nb-3, w-6): 12; Total (in 37.1 overs): 115.
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-32, 3-52, 4-58, 5-74, 6-99, 7-99, 8-104, 9-107.
Bengal bowling: Shami 12.1-3-36-4, V.P. Singh 10-0-31-3, I. Saxena 1-0-4-0, S.S. Mandal 6-0-20-1, L.R. Shukla 8-3-21-2.
Bengal — 1st innings: R. Banerjee lbw b A. Reddy 0, A. Das (batting) 37, S. Chatterjee c P. Singh b A. Reddy 20, A. Jhunjhunwala c Sumanth b A.A. Khan 1, W. Saha c Sumanth b A.A. Khan 4, D. Das b A.A. Khan 0, L.R. Shukla c Jhala b A. Reddy 8, S.S. Mandal c Sumanth b A. Reddy 5, V.P. Singh b A. Reddy 0, M. Shami (batting) 0, Extras (nb-1, w-3): 4; Total (for eight in 38 overs): 79.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-39, 3-42, 4-48, 5-48, 6-59, 7-79, 8-79.
Hyderabad bowling: R. Kiran 10-4-12-0, A.A. Khan 14-5-30-3, A. Reddy 12-1-30-5, H. Vihari 2-1-7-0.